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The day I've been dreading was finally here Boiler and water heater replacement in an attic turret head. It was everything I had imagined

I had the 'A' team with me today so we got everything accomplished that was expected. Old 300,000 btu boiler and 100 gallon gas heater full of sediment out and down the stairs. New boiler and 80 gallon heater up 4 floors of winding stairs and into the attic. Tore the stairwell railings to pieces and dented the boiler all to hell. Narrow winding stairs. One person on top, one below. No room to stand side by side.

My back is in knots right now. Looks like a 2 Percocet night

Tommorrow we pipe, wire and fire the boiler. Wed. hook up water heater

Arturo cutting the legs off the old heater
The access hole
Boiler before it was smashed and dented
Indirect fired heaster as it's being lifted through ceiling

No work in the field today, just sending out billing, looking at bills, paying bills, collecting bills, thinking about more bills, hoping bills wouldn't come, wishing bill senders would choke on their bowl of cherrios, you get the point.

I made the best out of it today behind the computer screen; send out 47 emails tonight. Basically purging repeat customers to spend money.

Also getting a head start on my other businesses.

Tomorrow is going around in one house replacing all those PEX risers that are getting old ready to crack and split with fluidmaster SS supply lines for all of them.

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It was raining all day and the phone was slow. Luckily I already had a full day scheduled anyway. I started by going to the supply house this morning around 9:30am and picking up a couple of toilets. Went to my first call and Installed a Toto drake this morning.
Then went to the next call, repipe an old, leaky section of galvanized that had rotted out behind the kitchen sink. The tees for the lav. sink and kitchen sink got repiped in pvc.
Then went to another house and installed a Gerber, basic toilet.
Ate some Taco bell and was home by 4:30 pm.
I like selling toilets, I make a decent markup and they are fairly easy to replace.
It was a nice, easy day. Good money too.

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Start out with a safety meeting. Gave everyone a test on the topic. Recorded the safety meeting for our records. Went out on two different job sites. Went to lunch. Looked for more free videos for upcoming safety training. Not to exciting but someone has to do it.

Started off sloooooow today, made calls, went and looked a job moving a shampoo bowl to another wall. Problem is the toilet isn't vented and if I tie into that arm, even though the bowl is vented it might not pass inspection. Inspectors are nitpicking everything here since there's no new construction to look at anymore.

Had to stop by a restaurant; urinal was clogged again. I was going to cheat and hit it with acid but this time it was solid stopped. Told him I'd be back at 9pm when everything is shutting down.

Get there at 9, try the acid, no luck. Thank goodness I didn't put too much in or I'd have a massacre on my hands. I tried a rick and plunged it to maybe get just a leeeeeetle bit of movement and NOTHING. It was a waste of time like always with the plunger.

The unthinkable happens; I have to pull that trap off, and I know what that's all about. I am so glad I didn't eat before, and now because the smell of that trap, it was 100% cheesed up completely, weighed like 3 pounds.

Bad thing was the spud flew out of the bottom of the urinal at the same time.

Didn't want that but what made a huge difference was I pulled the plug closed in the lavatory sink, put that spud in sink and filled it with muriatic acid enough to let that brass sit there and clean itself. It had so much corrosion on it from leaking urine, urine cheese that even a torch wouldn't of budged it. After 5 minutes of sitting there fizzing in the acid, spud looked brand new and the rubber gasket was completely clean.

Doped the threads, not the rubber gasket and reinstalled the entire trap that was cleaned and works like a champ.

Went over to try and rebuild a T&S sink faucet which turned out to be a defective bobbit in the bottom of the 1/4 ceramic cartridge.

Last but not least,

Grease trap. I took it apart, looked at the situation and determined as I expected that the outgoing line was clogged, which it was.

Grabbed my 81 and bent my cable at the end about a foot back, already has a 6" open hook where for 6" it's pulled out like an open wind of a sectional.

Stuck it in there and ran it for 15 minutes back and forth while filling up the sinks and dropping them, using a garden hose and jetting the outgoing line to get it all broken up.

Grease trap is running great now, cable was pulling back clean when done. Mission accomplished and tomorrow I'm bringing 3M spray contact adhesive along with the gasket material to take care of that once and for all, along with rebuilding that T&S faucet.

This owner of both restaurants is a kickass business owner. Very smart, I value his knowledge very well but he's stingy as he's waiting to see if I sink or swim on these other 2 companies. If I pull it off, I could see him as one of my bigger investors if I can show good numbers in the next few years. It surely isn't a safe bet right now though. Even I don't trust its condition right now.

Tomorrow is an easy day, phone didn't ring much today but the 2 calls I did are money makers.

1. Cleaned a sewer from pulled commode as preventive maintenance for renovated home.

2. Unstopped a bathtub drain at a rental property where the refinished tub is peeling. Told tenant to keep the strainer in place to avoid future problems. recommended to owner refinish the refinish, or replace the tub.

3. Called next job to tell her I was on my way. She said somebody else called with a lower bid. No problem ma'am. Have a nice day. Hung up phone and said good luck with the handy man, or your cousin.

4. Unstopped a kitchen sink from a hole that the HO's brother had drilled in the galvanized vent outside the house. Pulled out a ball of hair, line unstopped. He had a house full of ladies who wash their hair in the kitchen sink. He tells me, after I finish, that a Rip off Rooter franchise sent three different men out over several days, in an attempt to upsell replacing the drain. Meanwhile his wife is aggravated with him. He didn't fall for it. I finished the job, with travel, and running a C.C. in 1hr 10min. and charged less than they were asking, I find out after, and number (3.) thought I was expensive! Thank you, RR, your incompetent techs gave me another customer for years to come.

Started off struggling today, in pain but I managed to get over and get the seals on the grease trap, got new 1/4 turn T&S cartridges in the kitchen sink faucet in the pizza restaurant.

Went and looked at another job I looked at the day before; the lady now has a better idea and far less work, I'm all for that.

Got called out to replace a kitchen sink faucet. Get there and the faucet is already installed but the guy damaged the faucet's sprayer connection and it was a 3 tripper for him, still 3 leaks under the sink before he called.

Bad situation, owner has alzheimers sp? and ripped the spout right off the old one.

He's trashing the place, mean spirited, hateful, dangerous to everyone at this point. It's rather tragic knowing how this disease carries itself out.

Tomorrow is going to put me one foot in the grave. It'll be worth mentioning tomorrow evening. Time for sleep for a few hours.

Started off early today replacing supply lines to 6 fixtures, went and put my hand on the icemaker valve and started leaking. Had to come back later in the day to replace that piece of crap!

Went and landed a day's work replacing a stack, small section of floor, installing a new toilet. Should go quite easy.

Got on the phone arguing with some idiot at Delta telling me the faucet I had in my hand, isn't a Delta. It is, and I need to figure out how I load pictures off my phone to the web.

Went to my last call, landed another day's work but not until later on this year putting in a PRV/EXP tank, 2 tub/shower rebuilds, bunch of other little stuff.

Phone rang right when I got home tonight, staged a 75 gallon gas water heater replacement tomorrow morning. F that continuing education for my master's license; idiots at the college never called me up to confirm I wanted in the 8 hour class tomorrow. Guess my attitude of getting it done sooner than later got knocked off.

Only lost one call this week, main drain call. No loss of sleep there.

When I get home tomorrow I'm going to do invoicing to get this money in faster than ever before; no waiting weeks or months to get people those bills.

When I get home tomorrow I'm going to do invoicing to get this money in faster than ever before; no waiting weeks or months to get people those bills.

Funny you wrote this. I remember your new years resolution and I noticed when talking about your work day you never talked about doing paper work. This is going to be the year I stay on top of paper work also. I've done billing 3 times this year and all reciepts are going in an envelope not in my pockets!!!!!!!

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Yesterday morning I got to my first job on time at 9:00 AM. The customer had described it as a leaking hose bib and a clogged main sewer line in the loft area. Thought I could knock it out quickly, but when I got there, I found the description wrong. Leaking main shut-off valve to the house, and I had to install a clean out in the sewer line only to find that the ABS line had come apart under the concrete and was full of roots. Got the shut off valve replaced, and the customer decided to abandon the broken sewer line.

Stopped and unclogged a toilet quickly on the way to my next scheduled job.

Went to replace an electric water heater and rebuild a toilet at the next job. It went smoothly like it should have and after I was finished I told the customer what I had done. The home health care nurse (the customer is a paraplegic) asks if I fixed the leak under the house. I had no clue what she was talking about and neither did the customer. She takes me outside and has me listen at the corner of the house. Water is flowing fast under the house. I crawl under the house and find about an inch of water standing under half of the house. The reason? Some idiot removed a sink in the double bathroom and didn't have the tools to cap off the water lines. So they took the PEX water lines, kinked them, duct taped them shut, and shoved them under the floor. I was quite pissed when I found that.

I dropped off the bill and got paid for that job, and then went home to clean up before I went to my next job.

Got to the local Wal-Mart store at about 5:30 PM to look at why some bathroom sink faucets were not working. Took pictures of the broken sensors and solenoids and told management that parts would have to be ordered on Monday. They said to make sure that the facility management company talked to them before they had me order the parts to fix the faucets. The store wants to hold off on fixing the faucets until February if possible to help make the year end numbers look better.

Finally headed off to my last job. A very long time customer tried to replace his garbage disposer and couldn't get the waste line hooked back up. Fifteen minutes after getting there I had the check in my hand and was on my way home. Made it home at 7:30 PM.

All that and I had to take about twenty different phone calls that came in during the course of the day.

Started off early today replacing supply lines to 6 fixtures, went and put my hand on the icemaker valve and started leaking. Had to come back later in the day to replace that piece of crap!

Customer on the job above called me, upset as hell, telling me the ceiling is collapsing underneath the fridgerator I installed a new icemaker valve to.

Get there, sure enough, ceiling looks like a garbage ready to blow. I was hoping for it to a bad solder connection in the floor that I disturbed that took it the rest of the way, but it wasn't.

The leak was the adaptor from 3/8" to 1/4" that I religiously use to adapt all valves of any design to 1/4", which kepts my stock levels down on specialty parts.

I have at least 50 of these under my belt, and what caused this problem was when I lifted the flex stainless icemaker line so the fridge could be pushed back into its place, the flex line backed that adaptor just enough to leak enough from the go.

I had checked the connection before we pushed the fridge back, no way I could check it once the fridge is in the opening.

It's my fault, no way around it. I don't believe me adding that adaptor was the culprit as I feel it was more of me twisting the line in a way that forced that connection to back off.

Carpet got wet, ceiling is a mess, including all the holes I poked in it looking for the point of origin.

As the thread states...this is going to be my first claim since 1992 and I'm gauging it with drywall work, bringing in all the equipment will probably stem to 3 to 4 grand most likely.

Realistically it could be done under $300 but I'm not going there. It's their house and there's peace of mind in knowing that it was addressed as a normal property damage claim would go.

I won't stop using those adaptors as they've worked well in the past, one fluke situation isn't the reason this happened. Just an unfortunate circumstance that I have to chalk it up to "it could of been so much horribly worse."

It's going to feel good to use my insurance for the first time since 1992. Not the same company but I've been with this one for 3 years I believe.

Told him I have 2 million dollars worth of coverage, try to keep it under that if he could. I told him if I see a new car or yacht in the driveway, I'll understand.

Off to replace a 75 gallon gas; let's see how bad I can **** this job up.

I basically told the guy where the accident happened that I wouldn't be charging for my time there; 10 ss flex supply lines and a $29 expansion tank. My time has just been erased, 3.5 hours. The value would of been around $250-$300.

Damn thing is, I'm personal friends with them but the good thing is I called my insurance and already have an insurance claim in for them. Staying on top of it makes all the difference when these bad situations happen.

Bottom line,

I'm sooooooooo thankful these people didn't leave on a weekend trip. Or leave to go on vacation for a week. Just imagine the difference at that point in the cost perspective.

For some strange reason though, I like getting something back for what I've paid all these years. I mean, that's what it is for.

Kinda like when I wrecked my truck last year; finally got some of that hard earned money back for all those premium payments I've afforded all those years.

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Customer on the job above called me, upset as hell, telling me the ceiling is collapsing underneath the fridgerator I installed a new icemaker valve to.

Get there, sure enough, ceiling looks like a garbage ready to blow. I was hoping for it to a bad solder connection in the floor that I disturbed that took it the rest of the way, but it wasn't.

The leak was the adaptor from 3/8" to 1/4" that I religiously use to adapt all valves of any design to 1/4", which kepts my stock levels down on specialty parts.

I have at least 50 of these under my belt, and what caused this problem was when I lifted the flex stainless icemaker line so the fridge could be pushed back into its place, the flex line backed that adaptor just enough to leak enough from the go.

I had checked the connection before we pushed the fridge back, no way I could check it once the fridge is in the opening.

It's my fault, no way around it. I don't believe me adding that adaptor was the culprit as I feel it was more of me twisting the line in a way that forced that connection to back off.

Carpet got wet, ceiling is a mess, including all the holes I poked in it looking for the point of origin.

As the thread states...this is going to be my first claim since 1992 and I'm gauging it with drywall work, bringing in all the equipment will probably stem to 3 to 4 grand most likely.

Realistically it could be done under $300 but I'm not going there. It's their house and there's peace of mind in knowing that it was addressed as a normal property damage claim would go.

I won't stop using those adaptors as they've worked well in the past, one fluke situation isn't the reason this happened. Just an unfortunate circumstance that I have to chalk it up to "it could of been so much horribly worse."

It's going to feel good to use my insurance for the first time since 1992. Not the same company but I've been with this one for 3 years I believe.

Told him I have 2 million dollars worth of coverage, try to keep it under that if he could. I told him if I see a new car or yacht in the driveway, I'll understand.

Off to replace a 75 gallon gas; let's see how bad I can **** this job up.

I basically told the guy where the accident happened that I wouldn't be charging for my time there; 10 ss flex supply lines and a $29 expansion tank. My time has just been erased, 3.5 hours. The value would of been around $250-$300.

Damn thing is, I'm personal friends with them but the good thing is I called my insurance and already have an insurance claim in for them. Staying on top of it makes all the difference when these bad situations happen.

Bottom line,

I'm sooooooooo thankful these people didn't leave on a weekend trip. Or leave to go on vacation for a week. Just imagine the difference at that point in the cost perspective.

For some strange reason though, I like getting something back for what I've paid all these years. I mean, that's what it is for.

Kinda like when I wrecked my truck last year; finally got some of that hard earned money back for all those premium payments I've afforded all those years.

Oh crap what a bumber. These things happen when trying to contain the force that created the Grand Canyon

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Started work today @ 8:30 arrived at customers house and installed a Tankless water heater. Install was in a different location then the standard water heater so I had a bit of line running to do. I went into the attic to do the tie-ins and what do I find....

The 3/4" waterlines reduced down to 1/2" as the main branchs for a 3 full bath house (next week is the repipe).

The electrician was a no show again so customer is running via extension cord until Monday

I then went and cleared a slow washer line

Next went and installed a customers Kinetico(junk) water softner that he pulled from his old house.

Called it a day.... Someday I will hire an employee and makes things a bit easier on myself.